Golf training apparatus



1969 v v J. E. DONALDSON I 3,47 55 GOLF TRAINING APPARATUS Filed April 17, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet l I I fi/ezzfar Oct. 7, 1969 1 J, E. DONALDSON 3,471,155

GOLF TRAINING APPARATUS LIHIIIHH Illll 36 J7 a5 7 26 a; a7 \19 United States Patent US. Cl. 273-186 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An apparatus for training an individual to putt is formed of a base and a carriage movable along a line with respect to the base. The carriage has holders to grip the putter head. These holders restrain the movement of the putter with respect to the carriage except for a back swing pivotal movement along a line parallel to the lower edge of the club face. The base has a cut-out parallel to the path of movement of the club head so that the ball may rest on a lower supporting surface, such as grass or a rug. The base also has lines to enable the user to tell at a glance what is the length of his stroke.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION One of the skills most difficult to acquire in playing the game of golf is that of putting accurately. One reason for this is that, under normal circumstances, the player never repeats the same putting stroke over and over again until the ability to perform the stroke is carried out almost unconsciously. It is well recognized that any sports proficiency requires extensive training, yet this practice is not most elfectively carried out by golfers in their putting phase of the game.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a training apparatus by which a putting stroke can be repeated over and over again until the act of making the stroke is second nature to the player. The apparatus restricts the movement of the club head to a pattern, which if repeated, will enable the player to be a proficient putter.

SUMMARY 'OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a putting training apparatus which restricts the movement of the club head to a given pattern with respect to the position of the golf ball.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a section viewed at line 2-2 of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a partial section as viewed at line 33 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view with portions broken away;

FIGURE 5 is a section taken at line 55 of FIGURE 4; and

FIGURE 6 is an elevational view as seen at line 6-6 of FIGURE 4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Although the following disclosure ofifered for public dissemination is detailed to ensure adequacy and aid understanding, this is not intended to prejudice that purpose of a patent which is to cover each new inventive concept therein no matter how others may later disguise it by variations in form or additions or further improvements. The claims at the end hereof are intended as the chief aid toward this purpose; as it is these that meet the requireice ment of pointing out the parts, improvements, or combinations in which the inventive concepts are found.

The illustrated embodiment comprises a base, generally 10, on which is a carriage, generally 11, mounted for movement along the length of the base. The carriage, as hereinafter described, grips the head 12 of a pttter. The putter head has a putting face 13. The club has a shaft 14 leading to a handle (not shown) in the conventional manner, and the user manipulates the club by grasping the handle.

Frame 10 includes a base plate 16 having a cut-out 17 so that the ball 18 may 'be positioned as illustrated in FIGURE 1, and struck by the club for movement along a line as indicated at 19. The rear of cut-out 17 defines a ball striking position for the initial positioning of ball 18. The cut-out also permits the ball 18 to rest on a putting green, rug or the like while the training device is used in conjunction therewith.

Base plate 16 has supporting ribs 21, and at each side defines a way 22. Each way 22 has a bottom track 23, opposed side guiding walls 24 and 25, and a top wall 26. This base plate including the walls forming the ways may be formed in continuous lengths as an extrusion, with pieces being cut from the continuous lengths to form the base. While the base may be made in various lengths, the preferred embodiment is about 24 inches long. End caps 27 are affixed to the base after the lengths have been cut off and the carriage 11 positioned in the ways. The upper face of base plate 16 has equally spaced lines 28 extending thereacross to enable the user to gauge the extent of movement of the putter head 12.

Carriage 11 includes a main support member 31 forming truck frame 32 at opposite sides and positioned in ways 22. Each truck frame has a forward wheel 33 mounted on axle 34, and a rear wheel 35 mounted on an axle 36. There are also a pair of side guide rollers 37 journaled on vertical shafts 38 at the forward and rear portions of the truck frames. Again, the main portion of support member 31, including the truck frames 32, can be formed as an extrusion with suitable cut-outs subsequently made therein.

Secured to the main support member 31 is a club holding member 40. Club holding member 40 has a pair of bosses'41 which hold pins 42 journaled in the sides of truck frame 32. It also includes a pair of ears43 which form abutments against which the face 13 of the club head bears. These abutments are spaced, so best seen in FIGURE 1, so that nothing will impair the striking of ball 18 by face 13. Holding member 40 also has a rear upright 44 through a thumb screw 45 is threaded. Thumb screw 45 has a pressure plate 46 rotatably affixed to the forward end thereof.

The club head 12 is placed in club holding member 40 with face 13 bearing against the abutments formed by ears 43. Thumb screw 45 is turned so it moves forwardly with pressure plate 46 coming to bear against the rear of the club head. The club head thus is clamped between the pressure plate and the ears. Ball 18 is placed at the rearward end of slot 17. The user grasps the club handle and swings the club head 12 rearwardly in starting to make the putting stroke. Carriage 11 is held in base 10 so that it necessarily moves in a straight line. The rearward extent of that movement is gauged by observing lines 28. During this rearward stroke the club head 12 is permitted to pivot about the axis defined by pins 42, as is best illustrated in dotted lines in FIGURE 5.

As the club head is subsequently brought forward toward the ball 18, the club head 12 is again restrained to a path of movement parallel to line 19. The natural movement of the club head again returns it to the full line position illustrated in FIGURE 5, at which position it is when the ball is struck. Further pivotal movement of the holding member 40 with respect to the main support member 31 is prevented by the former coming to a stop against the latter. After the ball is struck the club head can continue to move forwardly through and beyond the position previously occupied by the ball. However, base and carriage 11 hold the club head so that its continued movement is straight through the ball position. As illustrated in dotted lines in FIGURE 6, the forward end of the carriage 11 can raise only slightly (during the forward stroke) until forward wheels 33 contact the top wall 26 of the ways. Only to this limited extent can club head 12 have any movement other than that of going straight through the position previously occupied by the ball.

It vw'll be apparent that the use of this training device will permit the golfer to repetitively perform the exact same stroke, even as to the extent (or length) of swing of the club. He thus will develop a feel for a consistent putter action which will enable him to be a very accurate putter when playing the game of golf.

Iclaim:

1. An apparatus for teaching a golfer to properly strike a golf ball with a putter having a striking face, said apparatus including:

a base defining a ball striking position from which the ball leaves along a given line after it is struck, said base having ways;

carriage means having first portions received in said ways for movement of the carriage means along a path parallel to said line, said carriage means having a second portion with means for engaging the head of said putter and holding said head with the striking face normal to said line when at said position while permitting the putter to be moved both forwardly and to the rear of said position while so held by said carriage means; and

means for pivotally connecting said second portion to the first portion in a manner such that when the head of the putter is engaged and held by said putter engaging and holding means, said second portion is pivotable relative to said first portion about a pivot axis which is parallel to the bottom edge of the putter head and in immediate juxtaposition to said bottom edge.

2. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said base defines ways at each side of and parallel to said line and extending forwardly and rearwardly of said position, each way having at least one side wall and a top and bottom wall, said carriage means having wheels in each way to permit the carriage means to move easily with respect to the base and to prevent any substantial transverse or vertical movement of the carriage means with respect to the base.

3. An apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein the putter engaging means includes a pair of ears positioned so as to contact the putter face at each end of the face while leaving the center of the face unobstructed and a pressure plate positioned to bear against the rear of the putter opposite said face.

4. An apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein said base includes a plate underlying the path of movement of the putter, said plate having an opening extending from said position forwardly along said line.

5. An apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein said plate has transverse lines evenly spaced along the length thereof.

6. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said base includes a plate underlying the path of movement of the putter, said plate having an opening extending from said position forwardly along said line.

7. An apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein said plate has transverse lines evenly spaced along the length thereof.

8. An apparatus for teaching a golfer to properly strike a golf ball with a putter having a head with a ball striking face, said apparatus including:

a base defining a ball striking position, said base having a pair of ways spaced apart a distance greater than the length of said head, said ways being horizontal and extending at opposite sides of said position and ahead of and behind said position;

a carriage mounted in said ways and trained by said ways to a horizontal movement, longitudinally of the ways, at least equal in length to the length of a putter stroke between positions ahead of and behind said striking position, said ways preventing said carriage from any substantial movement except longitudinally of the ways; and

putter mounting means attached to said carriage and adapted to be attached to said putter to hold said putter with respect to said carriage and base such that the putter may, while moving across the base and through said striking position, tip between the limits of, and not beyond, a position at which the ball striking face is approximately vertical and a position at which the ball striking face is turned downwardly.

I References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,399,761 12/1921 Garland 273l91 X 2,084,901 6/1937 Eisenberg 273-192 2,894,755 7/1959 Scelzo 273-192 2,992,005 7/ 1961 Lockhart.

GEORGE J. MARLO, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

